The very same day I published this year’s guide, I (and I imagine many of you) received an email from the principal of my high school. The subject line — “Happy Chanukah” — seemed appropriate given the email’s inclusion of a specially-designed* graphic for the occasion:

Aside from the inexplicable Purim mask** – so far, so good.***

But then we come to the text of the email. Over three percent this text (6 words out of 192) referred directly to the Jewish holiday referenced in the subject line. I imagine that, by now, you know what’s coming next:

This year’s very rare coincidence of Hanukah and Thanksgiving reminds us of the many things for which we are grateful. Thanksgiving and Hanukah share a common theme. [Emphasis added.]

Listen: either spelling is fine, even if Google insists on showing results for “Hanukkah” when you search “Hanukah.” But I’m fairly certain that — had the email included just four**** more “Hanukah”s — we’d be looking at no higher than a B right now from Dr. Jones.*****

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*You can tell the image was specially-designed either from its inclusion of the NYHS logo (about which I have also written) or from the fact that it is identified as the product of a member of the class of 2017 (I am so old).

**I guess they’re both Rabbinic holidays?

***In all seriousness, it was a thoughtful email and I enjoyed receiving and reading it.

****In fairness, eight, because who’s to say which spelling is the mistake? Plus, eight is a more appropriate number for the holiday.

*****Yes, I am aware, the writer of the email likely had nothing to do with the subject line.